Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s move from Borussia Dortmund to Arsenal will be announced today, according to reports in Germany.
Sport Bild say the 28-year-old’s move to the Emirates “will be announced during the course of Monday”. The English press say Arsenal are spending between £55m-£60m for Aubameyang’s signature, with a contract worth £180,000-a-week until 2021 on the table.
Borussia Dortmund were reticent to let the Gabon international leave the club until they had found a replacement. For a time, that looked to be Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud, but the French international looks on his way to Chelsea.
His move plays a big role in this deal between Arsenal and BVB being agreed, however, with Giroud replacing Michy Batshuayi, who is on his way to Dortmund on loan for the remainder of the season.
Arsenal look to be pairing old Dortmund teammates Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang together again, while recovering well from losing Alexis Sanchez, who joined Manchester United last week.
Manager Arsene Wenger perhaps didn’t want to part company with Alexis, Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud in the same transfer window, but if it gets him the Bundesliga pair, I feel it was a decision worth making.
Many may have felt Arsenal were headed for doom and gloom following Alexis’s departure, but they’ve bounced back well thanks to the hard work of Sven Mislintat, Arsenal’s new Head of Recruitment, formally of Dortmund.